


Gods punish those who do not seek revenge

by Cirilla9



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, Late Night Conversations, Mentions of Myth & Folklore, Missing Scene, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 13:22:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13249098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cirilla9/pseuds/Cirilla9
Summary: Sigurd's funeral celebration, Ubbe so done with everyone and Floki playing daddy to Ragnarson once more.





	Gods punish those who do not seek revenge

\- I did not expect to see you here, Floki, - said Ubbe approaching the boatbuilder who sat upon his horn of mead, looking thoughtful.

  
People still drunk even as the boat that carried Sigurd’s body had burnt to ashes and the wreck had sunk in the waters. Their brother had sailed on his last journey, to Valhalla, Ubbe hoped but the funeral feast will continue all night.

  
Ubbe had a feeling they are more bent to carry on the celebration of the victory above Aella than truly regret Sigurd’s death. They annoyed him just like everyone else right now: Ivar for killing their brother and showing no remorse, Hvitserk for not truly caring either, Björn for wanting to leave it all upon his shoulders. Ubbe felt like the only one sorry for Sigurd’s fate and that loneliness was yet strengthened by the crowd surrounding him.

  
That was when he spotted a lean figure sitting on the shore in some distance from all the others, looking into the horizon, lost in thoughts. As Ubbe approached, Floki casted him an uninterested glance before returning to his previous doing nothing, ignoring the son of Ragnar.

  
Ubbe sat next to him in the sand. Just as he was sure he will get no answer for his beginnings words, the insane Viking spoke up.

  
\- And why is that, Ubbe? You think I do not grieve after your brother? I’ve known him since birth, just as long as you did. I’ve watched him learn to walk and fight and sail in my boats.

  
\- Ivar did as well and he does not regret his deed, - gritted Ubbe, failing to keep the anger out of his voice.

  
Floki looked at him sharply.

  
\- You really think so? Sometimes I think you do not truly know your brothers.

  
\- You didn’t hear him speak his apology! It was devoid of any feelings, like he was totally at ease with what he’d done, like he couldn’t care less, like he’d found it… amusing.

  
\- I pay attention to things other than words too, and he spoke like that because you rounded on him all four at one time and brought Harald and Halfdan to increase the odds yet, - said Floki, thoroughly calm. – He got defensive. He is always acting as he’s too great to show any weakness, especially in front of you. You should know it by now.

  
\- How can you be so collected about it? Sigurd just died!

  
\- I know, Ubbe. I’ve seen the body and the funeral.

  
Ubbe stared at him wordlessly for a long moment.

  
\- You do not blame Ivar.

  
\- No, I don’t.

  
\- And why is that? To kill one’s own brother, to spill the blood of a member of one's family is an atrocity in the Gods’ eyes!

  
Ivar might have been Floki’s favorite from all sons of Ragnar Lothbrok but Ubbe didn’t think it would go as far as to treasure his little brother more than the will of Gods.

  
\- Maybe it were the Gods that punished Sigurd?

  
\- What do you mean, Floki? – frowned Ubbe.

  
\- Ivar does not control his anger. Maybe it was their will that moved his hand then.

  
\- Why would they do that?

  
Ubbe was more and more confused. This talk was getting weirder by the moment, even for Floki’s standards.

  
\- Gods punish those who do not seek revenge. Blood feud is the obligation of the relatives that remains living in this world because no crime can go unpunished and if someone is unwilling to seek vengeance, the Gods get angry at him. Especially when a child does not want to avenge their parents.

  
\- This doesn’t make any sense, Floki. We just defeated king Aella, and king Ecbert before him. We slaughtered all those responsible for our father’s death. We brought Great Army to England to do that and Sigurd fought just as bravely as… you do not mean Ragnar, - he said in a sudden comprehension and saw in Floki’s face that he guessed right. – You mean our mother.

  
Floki smiled at him mirthlessly. But Ubbe’s curiosity wasn’t sated just yet.

  
\- But why now? Sigurd told he doesn’t want avenge mother’s death long time ago, in Kattegat, almost right after Lagertha killed her. And Ivar tried to kill him in the past, as you surely now, my little brother has no secrets before you.

  
\- Your little brother has secrets before everyone. Though I know about this, yes. An axe stopped by blacksmith’s hand before it hits Sigurd in the face. Does this not look like Gods’ intervention to you, Ubbe?

  
\- No. Once they stop Ivar from killing his brother, once they push his hand to do it.

  
\- Because back then Sigurd wanted to avenge at least one of his parents. It is very simple, the Gods allowed him to live long enough to do what he should and when he turned away from the second part of the path, they punished him.

  
Ubbe half opened his mouth, then snapped them shut with a dangerous fake smile.

  
\- The world is really simple for you, Floki, isn’t it? The Gods just tell you what to do. It is all their will and not yours.

  
Floki giggled madly and clinked his horn of mead with Ubbe’s.

  
\- Try it yourself.

  
\- I wish I could lead a life with so little responsibility and accept it all just as you do.

  
\- Ah, but you can’t. Just like Ragnar couldn’t, - sighed Floki, once more serious. - You are your father’s son. He, too, couldn’t accept the world for what it was.

  
Ubbe swallowed a fresh surge of sorrow with a gulp from his horn.

  
\- Do you think he is in Valhalla now?

  
Floki's enigmatic eyes searching Ubbe's face somehow read the question wasn't about Ragnar.

  
\- I think he just enters the gates, greets Bragi at the threshold and marvels at his harp. Soon he will see Ragnar behind the table of Odin and go to him. Maybe he will get to know your grandfather after which he inherited his name, this fearless warrior who killed dragon Fafnir. Perhaps he will see the famous shield-maiden Brynhildr that was your grandmother…

  
Ubbe listened to Floki’s tale as the shipbuilder’s voice floated above the steady sound of waves. The stars hung on the sky above them like fruits of great Yggdrasil and reflected in the dark, almost black surface of the water. Ubbe allowed himself to be lost in Floki’s tale for a moment of oblivion. It was good to stop worrying for a time, to be consumed by the story about Gods, as if he was magically transferred to his childhood for a peaceful second.


End file.
